A group of Master Masons talk about topics of Masonic interest--each from their own unique perspective. You'll find a wide range of subjects including history, trivia, travel, book reviews, great quotes, and hopefully a little humor as well on topics of interest for Freemasons and those interested in the subject of Freemasonry.

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Book Review: Sherlock Holmes Annotated Edition

"There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact."

~Arthur Conan Doyle

Phoenix Lodge No. 257, England

For Valentine's Day, my wife gave me a wonderful gift--The Annotated Sherlock Holmes: Volume 1. I've had my eye on them for a long time, but they were a little pricey (about $120 for all three volumes). She knows me well, and it was a great gift. For the past week, I've been slowly working my way through the stories from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. It's a huge 10 x 8 book, over six hundred pages in length, and featuring more than 450 illustrations (not counting margins crammed full of detailed notes.)

The margin notes and period photographs have really enhanced my enjoyment of the stories. I've read the stories many times over the years, and there were always parts I didn't understand--Conan Doyle was writing stories in his own era for people of his own era. There were many references to popular literature, theater, and science of the time that I simply didn't catch. All those references are explained in the margins of this volume. I can honestly say that I now know the difference between the types of horse carriages used during that period now, and now know what a gasogene is--handy bit of cutting edge Victorian technology for those back then that might like to have a scotch and soda. Those notes and illustrations have greatly broadened my understanding of the Victorian Era.

The edition includes all of Sidney Paget's original illustrations from The Strand Magazine, and also include many of the illustrations created by the American press when the stories were reprinted here. It was kind of entertaining to see the dramatic differences in a scene illustrated by Paget and the same scene illustrated by an American magazine.

These books are a little pricey, but well worth it for fans of the Sherlock Holmes stories. If I'm good, maybe I'll get the second volume for my birthday--that one includes stories from The Return of Sherlock Holmes, His Last Bow, and The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes. The third volume contains the four Sherlock Holmes novels.

And in case you're wondering--in all, there are 56 short stories, and four novels in what Sherlockians call "the canon." If you haven't read them, you should give them a try--they're timeless.

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RWB, Robert Johnsonis the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Waukegan Lodge No. 78 where he is a Past Master. He also serves as the District Deputy for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre which focus on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, works full time in the executive medical industry and is also an avid home brewer. He is currently working on a book of Masonic essays and one on Occult Anatomy to be released soon.

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WB Gregory J. Knott is a founding member and Senior Contributor of the Midnight Freemasons. He is a Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 in St. Joseph (IL) and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL) and Naval Lodge No. 4 in Washington, DC. He’s a member of the Scottish Rite, the York Rite, Eastern Star and is the Charter Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign-Urbana. He is also a member of ANSAR Shrine (IL) and the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. Greg serves on the Board of Directors of The Masonic Society and is a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society and The Philathes Society. Greg is very involved in Boy Scouts—an Eagle Scout himself, he is a member of the National Association of Masonic Scouters. You can contact him at gknott63@gmail.com

Bro. Steve Harrison, 33°, is Past Master of Liberty Lodge #31, Liberty, Missouri. He is also a Fellow and Past Master of the Missouri Lodge of Research.Among his other Masonic memberships are the St. Joseph Missouri Valley of the Scottish Rite, Liberty York Rite bodies, and Moila Shrine. He is also a member and Past Dean of the DeMolay Legion of Honor. Brother Harrison is a regular contributor to the Midnight Freemasons blog as well as several other Masonic publications.Brother Steve was Editor of the Missouri Freemason magazine for a decade and is a regular contributor to the Whence Came You podcast.Born in Indiana, he has a Master's Degree from Indiana University and is retired from a 35 year career in information technology.Steve and his wife Carolyn reside in northwest Missouri. He is the author of dozens of magazine articles and three books: Freemasonry Crosses the Mississippi, Freemasons — Tales From the Craft and Freemasons at Oak Island.

WB Bill Hosler was made a Master Mason in 2002 in Three Rivers Lodge #733 in Indiana. He served as Worshipful Master in 2007 and became a member of the internet committee for Indiana's Grand Lodge. Bill is currently a member of Roff Lodge No. 169 in Roff Oklahoma and Lebanon Lodge No. 837 in Frisco,Texas. Bill is also a member of the Valley of Fort Wayne Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in Indiana. A typical active Freemason, Bill also served as the High Priest of Fort Wayne's Chapter of the York Rite No. 19 and was commander of of the Fort Wayne Commandery No. 4 of the Knight Templar. During all this he also served as the webmaster and magazine editor for the Mizpah Shrine in Fort Wayne Indiana.

WB Adam Thayer is a grumpy-ish past master of Oliver #38 in Seward, NE and Lancaster #54 in Lincoln, NE. He continues to be reappointed to the Grand Lodge of Nebraska Education Committee, as well as being an occasional host on the Whence Came You Podcast. He may be reached directly at adam@wcypodcast.com or summoned by placing a certain number of lapel pins in a special pattern around a petition for an appendant body.

WB Darin A. Lahnersis the Worshipful Master of St. Joseph Lodge No.970 in St. Joseph and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), and Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL). He’s a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville, a charter member of the new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter U.D. and is the current Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign – Urbana (IL). He is also a member of the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. When he’s not busy enjoying Masonic fellowship, Darin spends his time as a DM for his children’s D&D campaign, reading, golfing, watching movies and listening to music. You can reach him by email at darin.lahners@gmail.com.

WB Scott S. Dueball is the Worshipful Master of D.C. Cregier Lodge No. 81 in Wheeling, IL and holds a dual membership in Denver Lodge No. 5 in Denver, CO. He currently serves the Grand Lodge of Illinois as the State Education Officer. Scott is also a member of the Palatine York Rite bodies and the Valley of Chicago A.A.S.R.-N.M.J. He is passionate about the development of young masons, strategy and visioning for Lodges. He can be reached at SEO@ilmason.org

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